Rehabilitation is the first intention treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) with claudication. Initially proposed in the sixty's, rehabilitation programs dedicated to patients with PAD have recently been proved effective and defined in many guidelines. Supervised walking training on treadmill is recommended. Usually patients walk up to a mild or moderate pain (evaluated at 3 or 4 on the claudication pain scale; maximum pain =5), then stop until pain completely subsides and walk again .

The Artex study assesses the efficacy of a fractionated mode of training avoiding pain by alternating short sequences of intensive training and active recovery (without rest).

Intensive Rehabilitation in Peripheral Arterial Disease with Claudication: effects of a treadmill training with active recovery [ Time Frame: Between day 0 and day 28 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Change in walking distance between day 0 and day 28, measured on a graded treadmill test

Secondary Outcome Measures:

Determine vascular and respiratory parameters which participate to improve the walking abilities after rehabilitation. [ Time Frame: Between day 0 and day 28 ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

Change in walking distance between day 0 and day 28, measured with the 6 MWT and the Strandness test.

One year follow-up [ Time Frame: one year ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]

All patients included are invited to be assessed at a one year. Interview, Clinical Examination, and Assessemnts are performed in day hospital (half a day).

Criteria are:

Patients 'satisfaction about protocole using an ad hoc ordinal scale Medical and duplex scan examinations Vascular risk factors and comorbidities Occurence of any medical event during the year Changes in WIQ and HADS changes in walking distance at the Graduated Treadmill Test.

Reproducibility test of the walking graduated treadmill [ Time Frame: Day 0 et day 1 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

The fifteen last patients are invited to perform the consecutive graduated treadmill test on day 0 et day 1. Reproducibility of the walking distance assess by this novel test is quantified.

Other Outcome Measures:

Handicap and Depression measures [ Time Frame: Between day 0 and day 28 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Initial intensity = 3.2 km per hour and slope at 0% Walking until pain 3/5, then stop until pain completely subsides.Resume of walking as soon as possible.

Increase :

Week 1: if the walking is possible during 8 minutes, increase of the slope of 0.5% in each training until 10% Week 2 :if the walking is possible during 8 minutes, increase of the speed 0.2 mile per hour until 3 mph Week 3 :if the walking is possible during 8 minutes, increase of the slope 2% at each training until 15% Week 4 : if the walking is possible during 8 minutes, increase the speed 0.2mph at each training as long as it is possible.

Fractionated mode of training with active recovery has been proved effective in sport training as well as in Cardiac rehabilitation. We hypothesized it might be also interesting in the rehabilitation of patients with a peripheral arterial disease. The active recovery period might magnified the beneficial effect of a short intensive training.

Cardiac status compatible with an intensive gait rehabilitation (checked by a consultation with a cardiologist, including interview, clinical examination, electrocardiograph, and effort test on ergocycle).

Volunteer to take part in the study, having sign the consent form after receiving sufficient information and the information leaflet

Person affiliated to social security or the recipient of a similar scheme

Person deprived of liberty by a legal or administrative decision, person under legal protection

Person currently participating in a clinical trial or having taken part in a clinical trial in the month preceding inclusion

Patient presenting with a history of mental or psychiatric illness or any other factor restricting his/her ability to participate in an informed manner and in compliance with the protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

Impossibility to perform protocol whatever reason

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01734603